Fresh
Whew. Finally the new template's up. I'm not sure if I'm crazy over it, I wasn't wowed by it when I first saw it assembled. I remember thinking, 'Oh dear. All that hard work for this.' I dunno, I was just too caught up with the coolness of Mondrian art (Google him) that I think I momentarily forgot about blending. I'm not even sure what's the tree for again. Haha. And hmm.. something tells me this new blog is too colorful for my liking. Also, I was thinking of getting rid of the cartoon characters (but I still like you Calvin, Hobbes, Snoopy and Linus of course) for a more mature feel, although I must admit I thoroughly Photoshopped that tree on the right to get rid of Hobbes (You can google for the original image if you wish). Haha, I'm proud of that tree, and hopefully it isn't too noticeable how thoroughly edited it is, the whole of it. Anyway, even if the template wasn't exactly how I expected it, it's still my baby, so I like it a lot.
It grows on you, actually. (Yes, tree included, although that sounds a bit off.) So I like this fresh new look. I was for a while thinking of a fresh new name too, but my sister thought it was so bleah I could very well have named the new blog to something hideous like "Swan Lake". Haha I won't tell what I came up with, although it's infinitely more decent than that.
Anyway, it's Moonstruck Inc. still for the meantime, and maybe for good. I don't really know. Anyway, I fixed the clickables at the left, too. It's less messier than the previous. This isn't final yet, too. Just the soft opening of sorts.
I can't do a decent blog entry now actually, as the main purpose of this Internet Cafe visit was to set this up. Anyway, I'm glad I uploaded the template on June 30th, end of the month, as tomorrow will rightfully be a fresh new start. (Yes my persistence on this whole new-beginning thing is unmistakable)
Goodbye for now, and feel free to comment on the new template.
Not the usual
Not the usual
If you're a frequent stalker/reader of this blog (yes I know frequent can't be too frequent as my posts don't come often enough anyway), you'd know that there are a few things that don't quite come up. Don't bother thinking what they are, I'm gonna bring up one right now, and that's sports.
People who know me know that I am barely sports-minded, and that I'd much rather prefer talking about MTV, or that new song on the radio, or Scrubs or OC or Lost. Well, it's a good time for sports around the world right now, and since I've always rather thought that sports is cool and I just didn't get into it when I had the chance, I decided to catch the World Cup and NBA Finals on TV.
I watched the Sweden-Paraguay soccer match yesterday, and it was quite good. I've always appreciated soccer, from watching Kent Ridge Hall play in the Inter-Hall Games, and found it a pity I didn't know how to play and it's too late to learn. I didn't watch all 90 minutes of the Sweden-Paraguay match, though, as it was not as exciting as soccer fans would have hoped. It was 0-0 for the most part, althought there were a number of noble, although fruitless, attempts to score a goal. It was not until the 89th minute when Djungberg scored the first goal for Sweden, to the disappointment of Paraguay, who were stripped of their chance to win the Cup.
The game turned exciting towards the end, and I think I'm gonna be looking out for more matches on the sports channels on TV. I don't want Brazil to win because I've always liked the underdog. I don't know who exactly to support, but I'm a little biased, so I'm rooting for Czech Republic (because of such amazing memories at that place last year) and I hope Italy loses (because of such horrible memories at their Singapore embassy last year). Haha.
* * *
Just this morning I caught Game 5 of the NBA Finals live on TV. The series was tied 2-2, and with the Miami Heat pulling off an upset by scoring two consecutive wins in the games to catch up with the Dallas Mavericks. This 5th game was Miami's chance to tip the balance in their favor.
I could have caught the game from the First Quarter, but not surprisingly, I only decided to watch the Fourth (Haha) because the good stuff would be in there anyway (pardon to all offended sports fans). Anyway, it was a kick-ass game! Miami, I felt, had everything going for them, what with the homecourt advantage, Shaq, Payton, and the stunning Dwyane Wade on a hot streak. And so I, ever the underdog-supporter, was cheering on for Dallas, and its star players Terry and Nowitski.
Man, I was cheering in the living room by my lonesome, as Dallas seemed to have sealed the game by scoring crucial points in the last few minutes. The lead was down to two as the minutes ticked by, and then Wade would even it out, but Dallas would still inch away with two points. With barely 9 seconds left in the 4th quarter, Dallas had the lead, and the once-roaring Miami crowd was momentarily shut up. And then this Wade does the impossible and scores again, to tumultuous applause, bringing the game to Overtime with a score of 93-93.
The five-minute overtime was just as exciting, as some of Dallas previous tactics worked, and they momentarily were in the lead, but then Miami wisened up and used Wade as a decoy bringing the game to another tie. In the crucial last few seconds, Dallas was up by 1, 100-99, when Wade decided to make his move again. He missed, yes, but (because) he was fouled, so off to the free throw he went, with just about two seconds left. He shot the first free throw, bringing the score to 100-100, and the win now depended on his second free throw. Well, what do you know, he did it again, and the crowd roared. Dallas couldn't pull off a shot across the court in the remaining two seconds, so the game was Miami's.
Darn, it would have been fun to see the prepared confetti NOT go down on the jubilant Miami team and the roaring crowd. Oh well, at least the whole city of Miami is feeling very good about themselves right now. I hope it's Dallas turn to celebrate on Wednesday.
P.S. I didn't plan to devote a full long entry on sports, so I'm gonna post the other stuff next time. Part of it is my Happy Birthday to my brother Schroeder, who would have turned 22 yesterday. Rest in peace, big bro. :)
No dishes left unwashed
No dishes left unwashed
I've just finished my kitchen chores, and let me prouldly announce that there are no dishes left unwashed. I say it with a sort of leave-no-stone-unturned accomplishment, because of all chores, dishwashing hits the top 10 of my dislikes.
In any case, I'm still domesticated for my own good, but it's a good thing I guess. My friends began their classes on Tuesday, and so did my sister. I guess it's Home Alone time for me now, as I guess the time of going out with friends has come to an end as I don't fly to Singapore until mid-July. I'm not complaining much, really, as I pretty much expected nothing else.
For a while my post as editor for the Outspoken Desk of The Ridge has been keeping me busy, gathering and editing articles from my writers, nagging them if they don't submit, asking them and collecting pictures for their articles, and settling writers' matters with my bosses. My deadline's over, though, and after submitting the Outspoken Desk articles to my Executive Ed, I guess that leaves me free. Relatively. I think.
I don't check my emails often (I miss unlimited internet in NUS), and I find that the longer the time before I decide to do so, the longer my break turns out to be.
* * *
It was the 108th year of Philippine Independence on Monday, that's why the first day of class nationwide was moved the next day. I feel a bit bad that I did not especially feel a burning sense of patriotism in me that day, and all I really cared for the previous days were sales at the malls, and the weekend before Independence day turned out to be a good time to pop by the mall for good discounts. I'm sorry, dear mother Philippines, you know I love you anyway. :)
The weekend before that there were midnight sales as well, this time due to an event called "Back-to-school". Next weekend there would be another reasons for malls to issue discounts, Father's Day. Ahh you cheeky cheeky shopowners.. you always find a reason to celebrate.
I'm not complaining though. I got myself a good pair of jeans (button-fly with a bluish-green tinge), Chucks-like shoes from Bench for everyday use in school, Board shorts (as if I do surfing), and boxers! Yiheee. I'm usually a briefs person, for the record.
* * *
I've finally finished reading A Twist in the Tale, a short story collection by Jeffrey Archer. Wow, I feel so proud of myself. I've always loved short stories, because I'm too lazy to finish novels, but the thing with short story collections is that I never get to finish them--until Jeffrey Archer's.
I have vowed that it will be a new life after last semester, and part of the process is to finish off what was left undone in the past. A few days ago, I finished Harry Potter 6 (softcopy downloaded from the Internet hurhur), which I only partially read in December. Now I'm thinking of finishing up my Stephen King short story collections, two of them, which I hesitated to finish some YEARS ago because I didn't want to run out of stories, because each story was just so good (or so I thought then).
A lot to finish and settle and loose ends to tie according to my grand New Life plan, and I'm hell bent on doing everything to make this work.
"Busy"
"Busy"
Another day, another blog. The previous entry I wrapped up and uploaded only today, May 31st, because I was busy once again. With what? Busy with the usual things that have kept me busy the past two weeks I've been back home.. Ridge stuff, and Choir stuff. But actually that doesn't really cut it, 'cos most of the day Jose's doing nothing.
Haha. Nothing but watch TV and lying down and reading more Jeffrey Archer short stories, or watching Lost ofr Prison Break TV shows on his laptop. Haha. Busy with nothing, more like it. Just the way I like it too.
When I came back to the Philippines, what I had in mind was just to de-stress, because God knows it was a bad burnout I got myself into in Singapore. The grades, which I got a few days ago still haunt me, and although the feelind is not the sudden-death I-think-I'll-jump-off-building kind, I think it's even worse, because it's the gnaw-at-your-sanity-bit-by-bit type.
Anyway, aside from that, everything's dandy and well, just all in a day's work. My jobs as editor of the Outspoken desk and as Secretary of NUS Choir are keeping me typing and thinking and typing again, but that's all right.
Maybe I should post photos of the Karaoke and billiards session a good bunch of my high school friends went on last week. Haha but that'll have to wait, cos I have barely 2 minutes left in this internet cafe. Haha ciao!
Another day, another blog. The previous entry I wrapped up and uploaded only today, May 31st, because I was busy once again. With what? Busy with the usual things that have kept me busy the past two weeks I've been back home.. Ridge stuff, and Choir stuff. But actually that doesn't really cut it, 'cos most of the day Jose's doing nothing.
Haha. Nothing but watch TV and lying down and reading more Jeffrey Archer short stories, or watching Lost ofr Prison Break TV shows on his laptop. Haha. Busy with nothing, more like it. Just the way I like it too.
When I came back to the Philippines, what I had in mind was just to de-stress, because God knows it was a bad burnout I got myself into in Singapore. The grades, which I got a few days ago still haunt me, and although the feelind is not the sudden-death I-think-I'll-jump-off-building kind, I think it's even worse, because it's the gnaw-at-your-sanity-bit-by-bit type.
Anyway, aside from that, everything's dandy and well, just all in a day's work. My jobs as editor of the Outspoken desk and as Secretary of NUS Choir are keeping me typing and thinking and typing again, but that's all right.
Maybe I should post photos of the Karaoke and billiards session a good bunch of my high school friends went on last week. Haha but that'll have to wait, cos I have barely 2 minutes left in this internet cafe. Haha ciao!
